98 (god damnit)

[lamb_of_gold]

[If anyone thinks Mu has been avoiding the Plane lately, they'd be right! In the wake of his loss of control, Mu has been spending most of his time at home, throwing himself into his work so he wouldn't have time to think.

Naturally, habits like that lead to burnout, and burnout leads to one commandeering one of the baths in the Bath house. Burnout also leads to one dozing in said bath and dozing, more often than not, can lead to one's Cosmo slipping away from otherwise tight control and no longer being hidden or suppressed. Dozing also leaves one open to being surprised by any number of things, but Mu figures he's safe enough here.

Today is not a day to deal with children, be they literal children, or simply adults acting childish. No, today is for rest. He's getting old, after all.]

Comments

[artofwar]

[After feeling such a weary cosmos, how could Sasha ignore the call of remaining on the plane? She'd avoided it and worked to better the world she knew for quite some time. But now, Mu has finally taken a moment to rest. She walks quietly to the edge of the baths and sits on the edge, her power gently filling the air and pouring into the water.] You should find proper rest, Mu.

[lamb_of_gold]

[It probably says something that he doesn't immediately start at the sound of her voice. He does, however, shift so he can look at her with his tired green eyes.]

I'm afraid I wouldn't find it, even if I looked.

[artofwar]

I'm sure you could. You've been working the hardest of all of us. [Her voice is soft, and she looks at him with concern.]

[lamb_of_gold]

[Mu shakes his head, resisting the urge to sink a little deeper into the water. He doesn't quite know how to broach the subject.]

I could sleep, but I doubt it would be restful.

[artofwar]

[And there it is. Sasha dips her hand into the water, letting her power whisper out like the gentle wash of the tide.] What would give you peace? You work as hard as Alone, and I can't help but see the reflection of his will in you.

[It feels a lot like desperation or a need for redemption.]

[lamb_of_gold]

A clear conscious, I suppose. [He breaks eye contact now, settling back down into his original position and staring somewhere into the middle distance.] I work so I do not dwell on it - I don't think that's admirable.

[sosweet]

[ Could be much better not to go to the Bath House, knowing that Mu is there. The evasive demeanor could go on and on if Saga wanted to, but only end up being like a Thousand Days War.

The Cosmo... feels different, weak even, a pang of worry inside Saga's chest. How to approach, unnoticed if possible? Well, guess he didn't have a choice, whatever the outcome.

He sinks carefully into the water, sitting from the opposite side and not minding about the other's presence, eyes closed for good measure. It's a start, okay? ]

[betrayedtwin]

[It's definitely been a long day for North. Training's been ramped up lately and it's only a matter of time before their next mission rolls around. But he figures a nice, relaxing bath will do him some good--and besides, he saw Mu go in earlier and it's been some time since he's talked with him. Part of him wonders if anything else from his world made it into Mu's or vice-versa.

So after leaving his armor back home and coming back in his civvies, North starts looking around the baths to see if the other man's still about. Eventually he finds him, but when he sees that Mu's asleep, he's torn. The guy looks pretty passed out and figures he may need the sleep--but then again, it's probably not good for him to sleep for too long in water. While he decides, he heads back into the changing area, folding his clothes neatly and depositing them into a cubbyhole before coming back with a towel wrapped around his waist.]

Hey, you okay?

[lamb_of_gold]

[It's only when he is fully submerged does Mu react to his presence.]

You're brave.

[grip_on_reality]

[Menzies has come to the bathhouse to unwind after a long day. she's surprised to find Mu in the water when she arrives, though--and certainly to find him asleep! as someone who also has a tendency to overwork herself, she understands the sentiment. but considering this is the Plane, she doesn't plan to leave him in possible danger of accidental drowning]

Oi, stay like that too long and you'll come out looking like a lobster.

[clearly teasing is the best thing to wake up to, right?]

[lamb_of_gold]

[Mu looks up as he returns, shifting slightly and following North with his eyes as he enters.]

Relatively.

[lamb_of_gold]

A carapace might come in handy someday.

[He says before opening his eyes and stretching backwards.]

I could do without the pincers.

[sosweet]

[ Takes him a moment to reply with a faint chuckle. ]

Am I? [ ... ] I can handle the temperature. [ Joking or trying to sound sarcastic? He doesn't know. ]

[grip_on_reality]

You never know--they might come in useful someday.

[she peers down at him, smiling wryly] You, ah, do know this place 'as got beds, don't you?

[artofwar]

[A lot of what happens on the plane isn't admirable, but it isn't their fault. This isn't something that makes the guilt any easier, no matter what one says.] In time, it will be easier to deal with. You're human, Mu. You are also strong. You'll endure this.

[lamb_of_gold]

I had thought myself beyond the feelings that lead to this - but it seems I was mistaken.

[He's quiet as he thinks of words, finally turning back to Athena.]

I broke a promise I'd made to your future self. I killed Saga in a fit of rage and fear, and I had sworn that I would not.

[And he's not sure what hurts more.]

[lamb_of_gold]

[Mu manages a bitter little chuckle before falling silent a long while.]

What has changed?

[And you know what he means by that, Saga.]

[lamb_of_gold]

It wouldn't do me much good, unfortunately.

[artofwar]

[She watches him quietly, remembering another saint that carried the guilt of past actions with him. Sasha nods once and leans back, straightening up to be the goddess she is.]

You would not be the first, nor will you be the last. Please take into consideration the actions of more than just your own. I should have paid more attention and been there to stop you. We can't change happened, no matter how much we might want to. You're a living being, all of us, even gods make mistakes.

[She holds her hands close to her chest, thinking of Alone now.]</small. We can be forgiven. All of us.

[betrayedtwin]

[Well, it's nice to see Mu awake.] That's good. [He walks over towards the bath, but doesn't get in yet.]

Hey listen, has anything else weird showed up in your world lately? [Because yeah, he found some stuff in his room not too long after he last spoke with him.]

[grip_on_reality]

[she scoffs] What, are you part fish these days?

[because if Mu isn't going to be very forthcoming, she's just going to fill in the blanks herself]

[lamb_of_gold]

[His posture eases slightly, as a weight leaves him. Of course Athena would forgive her saints - she always does, and she always will. Still his mind is not completely at ease, and he suddenly understands how Shion must have felt all that time ago. Her words are true, but his guilt is not so easy to absolve.]

I had thought myself past those feelings - the hatred and the rage...even the fear I felt towards him. I thought wrong, I suppose - the feelings of a child seem to survive into adulthood without notice. It was my mistake yes, but he should not have paid for it.

[lamb_of_gold]

Oh, many things, but nothing quite as outlandish as your closet. Why do you ask?

[lamb_of_gold]

My birthday is ten days too late for that. [He's not a Pisces!]

I've had a difficult time sleeping lately, that's all.

[sosweet]

[ There's a slight shrug at that. Gonna channel Kanon in this one. ]

The blood is nasty... and glistening. [ You tell him. ]